Meet the Clearstone Team – Shari Mitchell

Meet Shari Mitchell, Vice President of Clearstone Coating. As of February, 2019, Shari will have spent 4 years working day in and day out to make sure Clearstone’s product and applicators are the best that they can be. Originally having met our CEO Uwe Backes at a previous job, Uwe reached out to Shari to tap into her marketing expertise and strategic business capabilities within the high-end marketplace for stonecare. We recently sat down with Shari and her pups to ask her a few questions about stone care.

What’s your favorite stone?

Onyx. Onyx comes in many different varieties and colors – it has layers of color that “pop” when Clearstone is applied. The science behind onyx it is amazing – much of it is formed in caves from the moisture that drips from stalactites and stalagmites form onyx!

What’s your favorite Clearstone Job?

21c Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas far and away is my favorite project. It’s not just because 21c is an amazing venue, but because the team at 21c values our craft and understands the long-term benefits of Clearstone Coating. We’ve worked with 21c Museum in 2017 and 2018 to apply Clearstone on the marble tables and vanities located throughout the 104 room hotel.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge in the stone care industry?

Man-made/engineered quartz. China previously dumped tons of man-made and inferior quartz into our marketplace which was sold cheaply to stone suppliers. It did have some impact on the number projects where natural stone was replaced with this low-grade composite of stone dust, and other various materials all held together with resin. Clearstone is applied to natural stone only – and basically, when you try to prep quartz, it can fall apart or the resin can melt. Quartz is sold as a standalone product that will not acid-etch or stain, but it certainly can and does.

What’s one thing consumers don’t know about the stone industry but should?

Do your homework and buy from a reputable stone supplier only. Man-made quartz and other conglomerates are being sold to uneducated consumers who don’t know to ask the right questions. Ask for a material sheet on the “stone” they are buying. Find out what’s in it – is it natural or is it manufactured.

And that’s a wrap for our first look at the people behind the Clearstone Curtain! If you’re a stone-care professional looking to bring your business to the next level, or a consumer looking for a way to protect your beautiful marble counters that you adore, reach out to us today!